Band tightening and sealing tool



B. L. WATT ET AL BAND TIGHTENING AND SEALING TOOL Oct. 2, 1945. I

Original Filed Aug. 10, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l Y INVENTORS] mrmmry Oct. 2, 1945. L. wm ETAL 2,386,153

BAND TIGHTENING SEALING TOOL Originai Filed Aug. 10, 19:59 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 2, 1945 UNITED. STATES PA ENT orrlcs BAND TIGH'IENING AND SEALING 'rooL Burton L. Watt, Marquette Mich and Charles F. Osgood, Jr., Hohokus, N. J., assignors to General Strapping Corporation, New

poration of New York York, N. Y., a cor- Original application August 1o,' 1939,seriai.No.

39.352; now Pa e N 324,609, d ted Ju y 943. Divided and this application January 13, 1943, SerialNO. 472,216

'1 Claims, (01. 254.49

7 parts to inactive position for permitting operative association of the tool with the band.

Another object consists in providing such a device in which a preliminary movement of the manually Operable element for actuating the tensioning mechanism restores said last named'parts to active position with respect to the band for cooperation during thetensioning' oi the band. Another object consists in providing such.& do: vice in which the manually operable element for actuating the tensioning mechanism ha arelae tively long stroke and is out of contact with the parts that holdthe band against reverse move-. ment during tensioning, whereby the opportunity for slippage oi the band is eliminated.

Another obiectconsists in providing such av de vice which ha improved andsimplifiedmeans for holding the free or loose end of the strap during the tens-io'ning and sealing operations,

Another object consists providing such a device in which the operating mechanism is very largely enclosed, and yet is made readily accessible for adjustment, repair, or replacement by the provision of two easily removable face plates. A further object consists in providing certain improvements in the form, construction, and arrangement of the severalparts whereby the above named and other objects may efiectively be obtained, i

This application is a division of our application Serial Number 289,352, filed August '10, 1939 now Patent No, 2,324,609, granted July '20, 1943. A practical embodiment of the in ent on isrepe rese ted inlthe accomparwin drawin s, inwhich Fig. 1 represe ts a side view of the device. pa t: 1y. broken away. and with the operating handles shown in different positions in hill and dot-dash lines;

Fig. 2 represents a top view of the same, partly broken away;

Fig. 3 represents an end view the same, partly broken away:

4 represents amend view of the same onposite to Fig, 3 partly broken away:

Fig; 5 represents a side view th the operatmg handles and one with certain parts broken; the view being taken substantially in the plane of the line V-V of Fig. ii-looking in the direction of the arrows; and the parts being shown in the position represented by the dot-dash lines showing the operating han- (flesinF sl;

Fig. 6 represents a similar view with theparts shown in the position represented by the-full lines showing the operating handles in Fig. 1:;

Fig. 7 represents "a detail section, partly in elevation, showing the relationship of certain parts in the tensioning mechanism;

Fig.8 represents a detail vertical section taken in the plane of the line VIIIof Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 9 represents a detail horizontal section taken in the plane of the line IX of Fig. 1,1o'oking in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 10' represents a verticalsection taken in the plane of the line XX of Fig. 9, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 11 represents a transverse sectiontakenin the plane of the line XI--XI of Fig. 1, looking in the. direction of the arrows.

The tool or device includes a housing that consistsof a main body portion I, a lateral extension. 2, a bottom 3 and opposite removable side A shaft '6. has one end journaled in a bushing 1 located in an aperture formed in side plate 5,

while its; other end; carries a sleeveB that finds a bearing in an aperture in side plate 4 and also in a web 9 that is cast. integral with the housing. The last named end of shaftt protrudes outside of. side plate 4 and has an operating bane I? keyed thereto and fixed in place by. a nut- L l .011 an intermediate portion of the shaft 6 is fixeda cam i2 that is adapted to depress and elevate the sealing elements on their operative inoperative strokes. Tothis end a vertically movable head 1 1s mounted to slide between side plate 5 and web ,9, This head has upwardly exitendinsb iur at ons 14. I5, which support the ends o a rol er :16 that cooperates with cam H. for t e ur ose of elev ti g t e head I3 and mechan sm car ied t eneby t pe ati e pos wh le H is moun ed in t ehe t below c m or c e at n with it to d pr s the sa d head on th o a 'o per -ir stroke. From the mmed ate y f e oin de r p tion it will be seen that rotative movement of the shaft 6 by means of oscillating hand-1e I10 will yerti a -z y rec pr cate t e head It and parts artied thereby.

face plate removed, and

The head t3 carries six punches or sealing elements for interlocking the overlapped ends of the strap or band, three of which are shown in Fig. 1

and marked I8; |-9, .2|l. As the construction, arrangement, modeof operation and function of the said sealing-elements are fully set forth in our Patent No. 2,324,609, of which this application is a division, and as the said subject matter is not being claimed in this application, itis deemed unnecessary to same.

Turning now to the mechanism for tensioning, the strap or band, a shaft 2| is journaled in a side of the main body portion of the housing further illustrate or describe. the

and in side plate 4 and has an outwardly .protrud-.

ass nt upon member 4| but, as soon as either shoulder 43 or 44 contacts stud 42, further movement of handle I D in either direction will move member 4| in the same direction.

The said member 4| is formed with a nose 46 that is designed tojabut the extremity of finger ing end to which is pinned afoot 22 that is p'ref ,l

erably roughened or serrated on its'lower extrem ity for cooperation with a serrated plug 23 that is preferably composed of hardened material and setintoa laterallyprojecting portion ofhousing bottom 3.- The part of shaft "2| that lies within the housing has a dog 24- fixedthereon which has its extremity" notched or cut away so as to forma shoulder 25 represented in'dotted lines in Figs. A coil spring 26 surrounds shaft 2| and has one end fixed in the shaft and the other end bearing against the housing, as clearly shown in Figs.'5 and 6, in order normallyto urge said shaft in a clockwise direction as the parts are represented in Figs. 5 and 6, and-in a; counterclockwise direction as the parts arerepresented in Fig. 1,

so as to tend to bring the extremity of .foot 22 in cooperative relationship to plug-23 for the purpose of gripping the strap or band during the tensioningoperation, as will be set forth. U

r-Another shaft 21 is journaled in the main body ofpthe housing and in side plate 4,.near the end of the housing opposite to the location of shaft 2!, ,One end of shaft 21 protrudes laterally fromthehousing on'the sameside as the protruding end of shaft 2|, and it has fixed thereto a foot,28"which preferably has its lower end serrated for cooperation with a hardened 'ser-' rated plug 29 that is set. into the adjacent lateral extension ofjhousing bottom 3. The portion of shaft 21 thatis within the housing hasa finger (ill-pinned thereto, and a coil spring 3| surrounds said shaft, having one end fast to the pin that secures finger 3|lfthereon and the other endbearingagainst'hou'sing I so as normally to urge shaft 21 in a counterclockwise direction as the parts are represented in Figs. 5 and 6, and in a clockwise directionas the=parts are represented in Fig. l, for the purpose of tending to establish cooperativefrelationship between foot 28 and plug 29.

' A guide 32 for directing the movement of the strap or band to the sealing mechanism projects laterally from the housing to a position in line with foot 22 and foot 28. It is'carried and projects laterally from a rod 33 that is mounted in the main body portion I of the housing and extends longitudinally thereof for a short distance between the shaft 2| and the sealing mechanism. The said guide has a tail piece 34 that is bifurcated, as shown in Fig. 6, and engages a pin 35 that is carried in the lower slotted end of a plunger 36 which is slidably mounted in a bracket 31 and a boss 38 that are'formed integral with nose 46.:

3|],iand aretractile coil spring 47, which has one end secured to finger 30 and the other end secured toastud 48 that is fixed to the housing, normallyurges finger 30 into engagement with Member 4| also has a lug 49 projecting from the side thereof opposite to nose 45, Which lug rests upon latch 39 and is normally held in abutment therewith by. the expansive force of spring 40.

fThe'lo'wer part 'of member4| is formed with a notch 56 that straddles an upward extension 5| on a slide 52 that'rides on'the top of housing bottom 3 adjacent side plate 4 to serve as an operative connection betweenmember 4| and dog 24 and is held in place by clips 53 and 54, the former of which is fastened to the top of housing bottom 3, while the latter projects from housing web .9 and'has a face that servesto guide the inner side of slide 52, just as side plate 4 guides the outer side of said slide. The end of the slide 52 opposite to that carrying the extension 5| is provided with an enlargement 55 that has slanting and horizontal surfaces, and the spring 26 on shaft 2| normally holds dog 24 in contact with said enlargement 55on slide 52. I a i a result of thearrangement just described, it will be seenthat, whenhandle If] is moved sufficiently to the right, as indicated by the difference between thedot-dash lines and the full lines in Fig. 1, the member 4| will move the slide 52-to the right in Figs. 5 and 6 until the dog 24 rides up the slanting surface of enlargement 55 a l fi pon the horizontal surface thereof while,'simultaneously, the nose. will swing finger 30 to the right so as to rotate shaft 27; and also, concurrently therewith, lug 49 will depress plunger 36. 'I'he movements just described are illustrated by the difference between the positions of the parts .in Fig. 6 and Fig. 5, and the riding up of dog 24 ontothe horizontal surface of enlargement-55 will swing foot 22 in a clockwise direction, as the parts are represented in Fig. 1, so as to move itout of cooperative relation with plug 23;;the movement of finger 30 by nose 46 will swing foot 28 in a counterclockwise direction, so as to move it out of cooperative relation with plug 29; while depressing of plunger 36 will the web 9 of the housing. A latch 39 is fixed plunger in an upward direction.

A flat member 4| is freely mounted on sleeveB adjacent housing side plate 4, and has 'an'inwardly rock' rod .3'3so as to lift band guide 32 out of cooperativerelation with the band support '56 that is formedon the housing bottom 3 immediately belowthe guide 32. Thus it will be seen thatthis movement separates or opens the said three pairs of cooperating elements so as to permit the band or strap that is to be tensioned and sealed to be inserted therebetween in the operation of the tool or device, as will be hereinafter described,

Means is provided for temporarily locking certain parts in open position, which means consists of a, double latch having an upward. extension 51 and a downward extension 58 and a hub.59

' that is loosely mounted on a shaft 60 which is journaled in the main body of the housing and 'ma'in-body l of thehousing, as'clearly shown in Figs. 5and 6, so as normally to urge the latch and shaft 60 on which it is mounted inaclockwise direction as the parts are shown insaid figures.

when the handle lllis actuatedso as to move the parts from the position shown-in l ignfi to the position shown Egasa'bove explained, the depressing-of plunger 35 will br ingylatch 39 into register with notch 52 in upward extension 51 i the double latch whereupon; spring 51 will immediately rotate the double latch in a clockwise direction so as to cause'theextensioni5! to catch the latch-39, asindicated in Eig-B. same motion will cause the lower extensio n to catch shoulder 25 thatis "ondog 24':so-a's to hold the latter in the position representedin l 'ig. with the result that the foot Z2 and g-u-ide 32 are heldin the elevated position shown Fig.1; Assoonas' the double catch has thusioperated;

the handle it is manually released, the tension of spring 4 1 forcing finger 39 against nose 46 will automatically return-thememberand slide 52 to the position shown-in @fi-g. 6. The-tool then is ready to be brought into operative relation with the band or strap by moving laterally so that the band enters between foot 22 and plug 23 and guide 32 and support 55; andtlrer'ioot 28 may,at this moment, be separated from its cooperating plug 29 by again manually. moving handle It to-ther-ight, as the 'partsare shown in Fig. 1 so as to cause nose 46 to swing-finger 30 a slight distance in a clockwise direction. 1 To facilitate this movement. of the handle 10, a thumb piece 63 is formed thereon at a convenient location for the operative.

After the tool and band or strap have been brought into the relationship just'descnlbed, the parts 2 2' and 32 should be released from their elevated positions so as to take their cooperative positions with respect toplug 2'3 and support 56 respectively. This is accomplished by manipulating a -hand-le 64 that is keyed to shafit fill, and fixed in position thereon by a nut 65. On the said shaft 68, at the side of thedouble catch away from handle 66, there is pinned (a: collar (26 which has a shoulder 51 fitted iorcooperation with an adjacent shoulder 6.8 on the hub 59 (of the double catch when the shaft Bil is rotated in a counterclockwise direction. .See Fig. .'7.. .A spring 69 has one end fixed to the collar 86 and another end bearing against the housing I so as normally to urge the 'collanand hence the shaft 60, in a clockwise direction. With this arrangement of parts, manipulation of :the handle 64 so as to rotateshaft 69 a slight distance in a counterclockwise direction, will bring shoulder 61 in contact with shoulder 68, and thereby turn the double catch in the same directionso as to releaseits upper extension 59. from the latch 3'9, and its lower extension 58 from the'shoulder 25 on-dog 2 4. The moment this release is 26.0.0111.- plished, spring 40 will elevate plunger 36 so as to bring it. again into contact with lug 49 ;on member 4|, as shown in Fig. 6. .As already. indicated, this releasing o f the double catch permit foot 22 and guide 32 to be moved downw-ardly into operative position by the isprmgs which control them. I The end of shaft 60 whichiis exterior to the housing l and in line 'with'foot22 has fixed there-.1 io a disk more. :1)

t t. igprovided with ale-ear l6 tooth 1 l tor engagement with a bifurcated clamp 12 that'has an inwardly projecting eccentric stud 13 whichisrotatablymounted-in a block 14 that is slidably mounted on rod33 and has a laterally and outwardly. projectinglip 15 that rides on housing bottom 3 in line with foot 22 and guide 32. The inner end of the stud 13 is-surrounded bya coil'spring 16 (Fig. 5) that is secured-to the stud and bears against the housing bottom in such a way as normally to urgethe stud in a cou-nterclockwise direction, as the parts are-shownin' Fig. 1, for the purpose of-bringing the'left-hand edge of clamp 12 into operative relationshipwith 11 5,. 1.3

T Manipulation'of thehandlefilwill, by imparting rotative movement to the-shaft 60, slide block 14 andclamp 12 carried thereby because-of the interengagement of gear tooth .H with the said clamp and, therefore, oscillationof .thesaid handie '64 will reciprocate the said blockand clamp, which motion is-made use of in the tensicning of the'strap or band, as will be explained; I The device also includes an anvil or counter block for cooperation with the punches t8 toll! inclusive of the sealing mechanismwhich anvil is denoted by TI (Figs. 1', 9 and 10land is formed integral with a piece "wthat is suitablyfastened in 'the housin'g. The arrangement is such that the anvil proper Tl sets into a gap in the lateral extension ofthe housing bottom-3 lsoasto be line with the plugs '23 and 29, support '56; and lip 15 that-cooperate with the foot 22', foot-28, guide 32iand clamp '12. See 1.- Theupper surface-of the anvil is provided with sixirecesses, four of which are shown and marked .19 (Figs 9 and I0), fittedtc receive the extremities of the punches {asthe latter pass through the: band or strap for the sealing-operation. k Forthe purpose of severingthe free enamused end of the strap or-band, the head l3 carries a knife (Fig. 1) that cooperateswith a correspondingly shaped cutter whichhas a round shank 8 'journaled in an upper-half-bearing 82 (Figs 5 and 6)=that is cast integral with the housing I and-cooperates with a lower support 83 which is carried by a pair ofscrews 84, 85 threadedinto housing bottom. 3. Said support 83 lies in a transverse slot formed in shank 81 and it willbe seen that, by elevating onelo f the screws 84, 85 and depressing the other; the said shank may be. rotated and the cutter thereby adjusted with respect to the knife 80 in order to compensate for wear or other cause that may disturb the proper relationship of said parts. Before it is severed,- the free end of the strap is supported on .agrooved shoulder 85 (Figs-"1 .and 4) formed on the foot 28 and is-f-rictionally held.:in place thereon by the inturned lower edge of a curved clamping spring 81 that is fixed byua screw B'Bon theend of shaftzl. l

While the operation of the parts has been described in some detail in connection with the foregoing :mechanical explanation,.it may be. advantageous here to summarize the same :by. noting that, in operation, the strap or banddenoted by 89 (Fig. 1.) placed around the bundle, container or other articleto be bound with its free ends on the top thereof. The tool is then set inplace adjacent the strap or band and the handle I0 moved to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 .so as to swing foot 22 and guide 32 and latch them out.of cooperative relationship with plug 23 and supports, to permit the; entrance of the band or strap therebetween. After the foot 22 and guide..32 are. thus Llatched out of operative ipfisition, the handle I is automatically returned by spring 41 to the position shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 1. The operative again-moves the handle Hi from the said dot, and dash line position toward the full line position b pressing upon thumb piece 63 so as to raise foot 28 from cooperative relationship with plug 29. He simultane-v ously pulls handle 64 a slight distance to the left fromits full line position as shown in Fig. 1, thereby rocking clamp 12 on its stud 13 so asto move it'out of contact with lip 15. With the parts in this position, the tool is moved laterallywith respect to the strap or band, or the band is moved with respect to the too1,'so as to bring the ends of the band into the position shown in Fig. 1 wherein the ends are overlapped on the anvil 11 and the upper end that is to be severed lies over cutter 8| and is frictionally clamped on shoulde 8B of foot 28 by spring 81. 1 The operative now moves handle '64 a slight distance to the right from the full line position shown in Fig. -1 to permit clamp 12 to be restored by its spring to cooperative position with respect to lip 15 and torelease double catch 51, 58, 59, as previously described, and permit foot 22 and guide 32 to be returned by their springs so as to clamp the strap or band upon the plug 23 and holdit on the support. 56. He also releases pressure upon the thumb piece 63 of handle ID to permit foot 28 to be returned by its spring into cooperative relationship with plug 29. r

It will be seen that the underneath end of the strapor band is now firmly clamped by foot 28, and the parts are in condition for tensioning the band by pulling upon the other end, which isaccomplished by oscillating handle between the full line position and the dot and dash line position. As the handle 64 is swung to the right from its full line position, the clamp 12 and lip 75 will slide to the left in Fig. 1, and thereby pull the end of the band. clamped therebetween in the same direction, which motion is permitted by foot 22 because it will swing to the left under the influence of the movement imparted to the band. On the return stroke of the clamp and slide, the foot 22 will instantly grip the band between it and plug 23 thereby preventing any return movement of the band, whereas the band will slide between clamp 12 and lip 15 because the former is free to swing slightly in a counterclockwise direction during this movement. Repetition of the opera- 7 tion just described will tension the band bit by bit until it is as taut as desired; and it will be understood that, during this procedure, springB'I will permit the upper free end of the band to slide on shoulder 86 of foot 28 because of the angular relationship of the said parts and the fact that the spring merely has a frictional grip upon the band.

Thereupon it is in order to seal the band and sever the excess free end, which is accomplished by swinging the handle ID from its full line position shown in Fig. 1 far over to the left, thereby depressing the head [3 which carries the punches I8 to inclusive and the blade 80 in a downward direction until, through cooperation with the anvil 11 and the cutter 8| the overlapping portions of the strap or band are sealed and the free end severed.

After the strap or band has been scaled and severed, the handle I0 is returned to the full line position represented in Fig. 1, and it and'handle 64 are manipulated so as to release the band from gripping contact by foot 22, clamp 12, guide 32 and foot 28 whereupon the tool is moved later-.

ally away from the sealed band, and is ready for action upon another strap or band.

In order to brace the block 14 against inward movement when pressure is exerted upon lip 15, the block is backed by awall (Fig. 8) that is formed integral with housing bottom 3, and which also serves to stiffen the latter.

It should be noted that the coacting parts are preferably composed of hardened material, such a suitable steel, and that the construction is such as to permit takeup for wear and ready replacement in case of excessive wear or breakage.

It willbe understood that various changes may be resorted to in the form, construction, arrangement and material'of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention, and hence we do not intend to be limited to the details herein shown and described except as they may be included in the claims.

What we claim is:

1. A device of the character described comprising, means for holding one end of a strap, and means for tensioning the strap by progressively pulling on the other end, said tensioning means including a mechanism for gripping the strap to permit forward movement but prevent rearward movement, reciprocable sliding mechanism which grips the strap while moving in a forward direction and releases the strap while moving in a rearward direction, and manual means having a gear tooth connection with said reciprocable mechanism for reciprocating it and for separating its strap gripping elements to permit the strap to be brought into and out of functional relationship therewith prior to and subsequent to the tensioning of the strap.

2. A device ofthe character described comprising, means for holding one end of a strap, and means for tensioning the strap by progressively pulling on the other end, said tensioning means including, a mechanism for gripping the strap to permit forward movement but prevent rearward movement, a mechanism for guiding the strap during tensioning, means for moving said gripping mechanism and guiding mechanism into inoperative position and means for latching said mechanisms in inoperative position.

3. A device of the character described comprising, means for holding one end of a strap, and means for tensioning the strap by progressively pulling on the other end, said tensioning means including, a mechanism for gripping the strap to permit forward movement but prevent rearward movement, a mechanism for guiding the strap during tensioning, means for moving said gripping mechanism and guiding mechanism into inoperative position, means for latching said mechanisms in inoperative position, and a single means for releasing said latched mechanisms and for actuating the tensioning means.

4. A device of the character described comprising, means for holding one end of a strap, and means for tensioning the strap by progressively pulling on the other end, said tensioning means including, a mechanism for gripping the strap to permit forward movement but prevent rearward movement, a mechanism for guiding the strap during tensioning; means for moving said gripping mechanism and guidin mechanism into inoperative position, means for latching said last named mechanisms in inoperative position, a reciprocable sliding mechanism which grips the strap while moving in a forward direction and releases the strap while moving in a rearward direction, andla single means for releasing said latched mechanisms and for reciprocating said sliding mechanism.

5. A device of the character described comprising, means for holding one end of a strap, and means for tensioning the strap by progressively pulling on the other end, said tensioning means including, a mechanism for gripping the strap to permit forward movement but prevent rearward movement, a mechanism for guiding the strap during tensioning, means for moving said gripping mechanism and guiding mechanism into inoperative position, means for latching said last named mechanisms in inoperative position, a reciprocable sliding mechanism which grips the strap while moving in a forward direction and releases the strap while moving in a rearward direction, and a single means for releasing said latched mechanisms, for reciprocating said sliding mechanism, and for separating its strap gripping elements topermit the strap to be brought into and out of functional relationship therewith prior to and subsequent to the tensioning of the strap.

6. A device of the character described comprising, means for holding the overlapped portions of a strap in position for tensioning, sealing and severing, said means including four mechanisms for engaging the strap, two of said mechanisms being strap gripping mechanisms, one being strap guiding mechanism, and one being strap tensioning mechanism, means for temporarily latching one of said gripping mechanisms and said guiding mechanism in inoperative position, and man- I ually operable means ior holding the other two of said four mechanisms in inoperative position to permit the device and strap to be brought into and out of functional relationship.

'7. A device of the character described comprislatched mechanisms and actuating said tensioning mechanism.

BURTON L. WATT. CHAS. F. OSGOOD, JR. 

